


Clear Blue Eyes

by gaara_winds



Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: Adoption, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cannibalism, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Gen, Homelessness, Kid Fic, Mild Gore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-13
Updated: 2013-07-17
Packaged: 2017-12-19 08:02:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/881414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gaara_winds/pseuds/gaara_winds
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hannibal comes across a single father yelling at his child and witnesses the man slapping him. He follows the two and realizes they are homeless and living in their car. Hannibal makes a choice to kill the father but has not decided what to do with the kid yet. He considers killing him in a humane way to spare him further suffering because he can see the kid had a rough life. Something about will however reminds him of his sister and he decided to keep him....</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Hannibal comes across a single father yelling at his child (will) in a parking lot, and then witnesses the man slapping him. He follows the two and realizes they are homeless and living in their car. Hannibal makes a choice to kill the father but has not decided what to do with the kid yet. He considers killing him in a humane way to spare him further suffering because he can see the kid had a rough life. Something about will however reminds him of his sister and he decided to keep him....  
> can be found here: http://hannibalkink.dreamwidth.org/2246.html?thread=4484038#cmt4484038
> 
> AN 1: I changed the location from parking lot to park by accident I read it wrong the first time but was reluctant to change it after I stared writing… Blame it on my dyslexia.   
> AN 2: This is my first Hannibal fic so please be kind. There may be some mistakes since I have no beta but I made sure to read through it several times though.

Hannibal had just finished dealing with a particularly weepy patient and was relieved to see the slob go. Taking disposable gloves out of his desk drawer and some cleaning products, he made sure that the side table was thoroughly cleaned of the snot covered tissues that the patient had left there. He also would need to have that chair cleaned on the weekend since the swine had been touching it with his filthy hands all throughout the session. As he cleaned, the desire to kill the stupid man was growing quite intense. However no matter how disgusting that particular patient was, he was still one of the most polite people he had ever had the misfortune of coming across. Once he was done, he disposed of the gloves and looked at the time. A small smile made its way to his face as he confirmed that it was finally lunch time.

After a week of nonstop rain, the weather had finally cleared and he could eat his lunch outside as he usually did. He locked his office and made his way to the park. It was not too far from his place of work and was also almost always deserted. It was a perfect place to eat in peace and quiet all the while being surrounded by nature. He sat on his usual bench and breathed in the scent of the plants and trees. He could also smell some of the squirrels that were in the tree above him. He took out his containers from the bag when his keen senses detected the presence of intruders. They were not too far away from what he could tell and were unfortunately heading his way. He let out a long suffered sigh. Nothing was going his way today. First he gets stuck in traffic on his way to his office due to a road blockage then that _pig_ had to have a sobbing fit in his office and now this.

As they drew nearer, he picked up their scent and reeled back in disgust. Whoever they were, they were in an obvious need of a very thorough scrubbing. There was also a lingering scent of alcohol in the mix. He was in no mood of dealing with a drunk. In that instant, a man appeared from the bushes. He was unshaven, his wild hair giving him a crazed look. He was wearing a stained jacket and jeans that were torn at the knees. They looked like they were barely hanging together. What caught Hannibal’s interest was the little boy the man was dragging by the cuff of his neck. Hannibal frowned in displeasure when the father threw the child to the ground who yelped at the rough treatment.

“Sorry, Pa. I’ll do better I promise.” The boy pleaded tearfully to his father in distinctive southern accent. From his size, the doctor would have guessed that child was no older than five however he could see signs of malnourishment that the oversized clothing could not hide. He was most likely older than he looked. His hair was same shade as his father’s and just as wild. It was almost as though someone had taken shears to them. The fringe covered his eyes quite well but Hannibal’s keen eyes caught a glint of blue.

“Ya little bastard, how many times do I have to tell you!?” he yelled grabbing the boy’s ratty shirt. Hannibal watched in distaste as the man proceeded to shaking the child violently while screaming profanities. He wondered what the boy could have done to incur his drunken father’s wrath. For all he knew, the boy could have been acting like a brat.   

“Didn’t I say not to come back if you did not gather more than 50 bucks? What am I supposed to do with 30, Will? Look at me when I talk to you!!”

“I did my best, honest! But a big man found out and ran after me.” Will replied all the while reluctantly looking his father in the eyes.

Hannibal frowned as he realized exactly why the man was angered. That officially ruled out the possibility of the boy having misbehaved. The dark haired man was obviously making his son pick pockets. Given the fact that the father was obviously an alcoholic, every cent that the child stole would go to satisfying his addiction. It was no wonder the boy was so thin. Sighing in annoyance, Hannibal packed his containers in the bag and decided to go elsewhere. He was obviously not going to get any quiet here. He was about leave when he heard a resounding slap. He swirled around to find Will on the ground sobbing with his father standing over him.

“Don’t make excuses, ya god damned brat!” He yelled as he advanced on the boy. “What have I told you about crying, huh? ANSWER ME!”

“Boys don’t cry.” Little Will mumbled as wiped his tears quickly and whimpered as he tried hard to keep from crying.

“Remember it well. Now get UP!” The man roared as he pulled the child violently to his feet. He pushed the boy roughly forward as they walked out of view.

Anger boiled through Hannibal as he followed them discreetly. It was rare for Hannibal to feel anything greater than mild anger but this man had made the mistake of inflaming his wrath. As he trailed them he contemplated the thousands of ways he could prolong his death. He would make this man squeal like the pig he was. That was a promise. On the other hand, the boy would be swiftly put out of his misery. It was the least he could do for him. It was statistically unlikely that any prospective parents would adopt him given the damage his father’s abuse had inflicted on him not to mention the fact that the child stole. Hannibal was quite certain that the little boy would be bounced from one foster home to the next. If they had any other relatives who could take him in, they would have had to do it long before now. He would not condemn him to the system if he could help it.

He observed them carefully. It was no wonder no alarms had been raised about the father’s treatment of the boy. The man was very careful to be gentler with his son in public. The bruise that had likely formed from the slap was perfectly hidden away from view by dark hair. Any other bruise was probably hidden underneath the layers of clothing he wore. It did not really matter though, the youth will be dead soon enough. He shadowed them into an almost deserted parking lot as they made their way to a beat-up truck. Hannibal saw that there were old bags in the back and quickly drew the conclusion that they were living out of their truck. It explained their smell and their appearance.

Making sure to keep his distance, he listened to the father gruffly tell his son to stay in the car. Hannibal saw the boy’s face clearly for the first time as a gust of blew his hair from his face. He froze in shock at the sight. Will was staring after his father from the open window in a deep seeded sadness that was quite familiar. The doctor had no idea what it was about the boy that made him feel a rare sense of nostalgia. He contemplated over the contour of the thin pale face and distinctive features, and stopped short at the clear blue eyes. To his surprise, the image of the boy was suddenly replaced with that of a little girl he would never forget.

“Mischa…” Hannibal murmured as his eyes glazed over in pain. The illusion was quickly dissolved as he reminded himself that she was long dead and was once again staring at the boy. Despite the fact this boy was not his sister, there was no doubt in his mind that now killing him would be impossible. It would feel as though Mischa was dying again and that was unacceptable.

It put him in a dilemma and his anger towards the father actually increased tenfold. His options were quite limited but the only acceptable path would be to simply kill the father and take the boy. A plan began to form in his mind and a smirk made its way on his face as he went after the brute glancing back one final time at his Will. He would regret dearly every single thing he ever did to the boy he would make sure of that.

0000000000

Will curled up in the truck as tears tracked down his face. His stomach growled and tightened painfully. He was so hungry. His pa had given him a few crackers that morning but it had not been nearly enough to fill his stomach. His cheek still hurt from where his father had hit him. He wiped his eyes vigorously.

“Boys don’t cry.” He whispered to himself.

He did not understand why they could not go home but he knew better than to ask. Not long after his ma died, he stopped going to work in the morning and would sit in the living room all day. By the time he came home, he always found his father in the same position in front of the TV. There would be cans all over the once spotless living room and every day his pa would yell at him to pick them up. The home cooked meals were replaced with takeout. There had been the casseroles their neighbours would bring but as time passed they lessened until Will was fairly certain that they had forgotten about his mother’s death.

His loving family home had quickly turned into a hell that he only escaped when he went to school. Things worsened when his pa started to leave home coming back angry and drunk. He would hit him for being a bad boy and blame him for losing at cards. Will had learned to hide when that happened since he always ended up passing out on the couch after a bit of hollering. He never understood what he did wrong and tried so hard to make his pa happy again but nothing he did made his pa smile anymore. Will even made a card for his pa’s birthday. When his ma had been there, they would hang it on the fridge and his pa would pick him up. He had always felt so safe when he would hold him close. That night however he had cried himself to sleep clutching the pieces that his pa had thrown in his face. What hurt the most had been the fact that his Pa hadn’t even tried to read it. He knew his pa still loved him though because the next morning he hugged Will and told him he was sorry.

It wasn’t until the man had come to their home that things got really bad. Will came home from school to find a stranger sitting in the kitchen with his pa. They had stopped talking as soon as he arrived but he knew that it could not be good. He had read the words “Property Seizure” before pa had taken it out of view. That night he was given a backpack and told to pack his stuff. They had been sleeping in the car ever since. He no longer went to school and he missed it. Even though he had no friends, it was better than this. At least he had never gone hungry or woken up in pain from the bruises and sores. Will rested his head back against the seat and fell into a restless sleep.

0000000000

Will woke with a start. His heart was pounding in his chest as he trashed around in fear. He looked frantically around before he realized that he was safe in the truck. The sky was dark and the parking lot was completely deserted. His father was not back yet and the poorly lit area looked even scarier than before. He closed the window quickly and made sure that all the doors were locked before he settled back in his seat. He looked around as he waited patiently. Swivelling his head every few minutes half expecting his pa to be there heading his way. However, hours passed and still there was no sign of him.

Fear went through him as doubt filled him. Did his pa abandon him? He shook the thought away.

_No, Pa said he would be back._ He reassured himself.

Will knew without a doubt that pa was not lying. He always knew when someone was being dishonest just like he knew which person to target to get as much money as possible for his pa when he did his rounds. He knew which people would most likely notice if he tried anything.  Maybe pa was still angry because he had failed getting enough. He had made the mistake of not looking into the other people around his target. A big scary man started yelling as soon as he reached into the old lady’s purse. The rest was a blur as he ran as fast as he could with footsteps pounding after him. He ran all the way to the place where his pa was waiting for him. There was no doubt that he would show up.

He reached in the back for his stuffed dog Winston and held him close. It had a white and gold fur. He clearly remembered his ma giving it to him for his birthday. The fur used to be so clean and soft but it was grubby now. Despite how dirty it had become, it was still his favourite toy since Winston never failed to make him feel better. He stroked the fur absentmindedly as he continued to wait. Eventually he could see the sky become lighter and there was still no sign of his pa.  

00000000000

He was dozing off when the sound of the car unlocking startled him awake. His face lit up as he realized that his pa must be back but reeled back in shock when he saw a stranger. The man had dark skin and he wore a nice suit. An agent or a detective of some sort. He clutched Winston tighter as he looked at the officer and his entourage. There were a lot more cars in the parking lot than there were not there last night. The people were standing around yellow tape that he knew were there to keep people away from a crime scene. Someone had died. He glanced between the black man holding his pa’s keys and the yellow tape with dread. Will opened the car door and ran passed the officer barely escaping his clutches.

“Wait! Hey, kid!” He heard the man yell as he squeezed through the throng of people. The sight that greeted him when succeeded was the most horrific thing he had ever seen.

“Pa!” Will yelled as hands wrapped around his waist lifting him before he could move closer. He screamed and struggled. Scratched and bit anything he could reach but whoever was holding him would not relent. “Let go! Let me go! That’s my pa!”

Blood rushed to Will’s head as his breathing quickened. Dead. Pa was dead. He had nobody and he knew that no one would want him. His vision quickly blackened as each breath became a trial.  

00000000000

Jack Crawford stared at the kid he was holding in surprise. With the way he had been struggling, none of the paramedics had been able to get close enough to sedate him. He had not expected the little boy to suddenly faint. He quickly handed him over to the nearest ambulance attendant.

“What’s wrong with him?” He asked as he watched the sandy haired man check the child over.

“He had a severe panic attack. From what I can tell, he’s malnourished as well which explains his sudden loss of consciousness.”

“When do you think he will wake up again? He may be a witness.” There had never been someone so close to the crime scene of the Chesapeake Ripper. If the kid saw anything, they could finally get an edge over the sick bastard. He could tell that the boy had been in that truck for a while so he must have at least heard or seen something.

“The poor kid just lost his father. I doubt the doctors at the hospital will allow anyone to question him for a while. They’ll probably bring in a child psychiatrist from the looks of it too.” One of the paramedics replied with a glare as they quickly packed the kid into the ambulance.

“Hey, Jack!” He heard Beverly call as he watched the emergency vehicle drive away.  The throng of reporters parted as he made his way through.

“Got anything, Katz.” 

“Afraid not, boss. As clean as a whistle.”

“Do we have an ID?” He asked the rest of his team.

“One Thomas Graham from Louisiana. The ripper did a number on this one.” Said one of the agents while handing him the victim’s driver’s license that had been found in the truck.

Jack watched as the carcass was fitted into a black body bag. He wished they could have done that before the kid had had the misfortune of seeing his own father’s dead body. Especially in the state that the Chesapeake Ripper had left it. Without a doubt, this was the most gruesome body yet and he was even more determined to catch the son of a bitch but first he needed to call Alana Bloom. If she was the psychiatrist for the kid, he would get the information he needed much faster. Even though she was quite young, he was sure that Alana would do a great job.  He looked down at the driver’s license and wondered what was it about this guy that had made the Ripper sloppy enough to leave an actual witness. There had to be something there and he would make sure to find out what it was. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is longer than the other one. It took me a couple of days to write and edit. I hope you enjoy :)  
> I'd like to thank every one who read, commented, added this story as a favorite and gave me a kudos.  
> I'm so happy that it was so well received.   
> Well that's all I guess.

**Chapter 2**

Jack stared down at the body as Brian Zeller examined it. He waited impatiently as the investigator took his sweet time. Thomas Graham’s body had more lacerations than the usual Ripper victim. Zeller seemed to be looking them over one by one carefully. Jack liked his agents to be thorough but this was taking it to another level.

“Well? What can you tell me?” He asked standing with his hands crossed over his chest.

“I’m not done yet, sir.” Zeller sang out. “I’ll tell you what I know as soon as I am but until then you’ll just have to wait.”

He sighed in frustration. Everything in this case had him on edge from the body to the kid. It did not help matters that his boss hounding him for information was not helping matters. Not to mention the fact that the press was going wild at the moment. Apparently, Freddie Lounds had seen fit to write yet another one of her articles and had included a video of him trying to restrain the kid at the scene of the crime. At that moment, Beverly came into the room holding a folder.

“Sir, here’s the report you requested.”

Snatching it from her hand, he opened the file and quickly read through it.

“So after the death of Sarah Graham, his wife, the victim lost his job because of his alcoholism. Later gambled his house away. He took off with his son William afterwards leaving a string of debts behind. A few police reports filed for neighbours complaining of public disturbance. Two arrests for drunken disorderly. ” He mumbled under his breath as he closed the file. “At least now we know the kid’s name. But I can’t see anything that would make the Ripper change his MO.”

“We didn’t find anything in the vic’s car either. There were only traces of the father and his son. Seems they’ve been living out of it. There was a bag of beer bottles and cans probably for recycling. But interestingly enough, we found a black bag full of wallets.”

“Wallets?” Jack asked in surprise.

“My guess is the victim was resorting to stealing. We looked into it and there were quite a few reports filed in the local precinct of a boy matching William Graham’s description picking pockets. They never caught the perpetrator though.” She continued as she showed him the records.

“Hmm.” He read through the records and while the reports pointed strongly to the boy being the culprit, it could just as well be any other street kid.

“Sir, I’m done with my examination.” Brian called out as he straightened himself. “You were right about there being something different about this one. It seems Thomas Graham was tortured before his organs were removed.”

“Tortured?”

“Yep and from the looks of it, he was not dead when the Ripper began cutting him open. Usually he kills them, removes the organs , puts the metal rods through the body and makes the final touches to put his victims on display. This victim was not so lucky.”

“What do you think could have set the Ripper off?” Jack asked. “He must have done this out of anger. His actions are usually too cold and calculating.”

“I couldn’t say, sir. That’s not really my department.” Zeller said with a cheeky smile.

“Hmm… anything else you could tell me?” He would have to have Alana Bloom look into it.

“Well, he left the liver behind.”

“Isn’t that one of the organs that is always missing? Why didn’t he take it this time?”

“It seems the victims’ liver was in the beginning stages of failure. Probably from all the alcohol.”

As Jack walked out of the lab, he pulled out his cellphone and dialled Alana’s number. He hoped that she got the chance to speak with the boy. He had pulled some strings and was able to secure her position as consulting psychiatrist.

_“Alana Bloom speaking.”_

“Alana. It’s Jack. Do you have any news on William Graham?” He answered as he went into the elevator.

_“All I can tell you right now is that you won’t be getting anything out of him any time soon.”_

“Why not? Is he still unconscious? The paramedics at the scene said that he only fainted.”

_“No, he’s awake but he hasn’t spoken to anyone. Not even the doctors.”_

“He’s not mute so it has to psychological. Can you get him to open up?” He had finally arrived into his office and sat at his desk.

_“I can’t make any promises, Agent Crawford. But I will try my best to get through to him. It might be easier now that I know his name. By the way, did your agents find any worn out toys in their home.”_

“If by home you mean the truck, then I’ll have to ask. Why do you need that?”

_“Best way to get a kid to open up is to return something they value greatly.”_

“I’ll send it over if I find anything.”

_“There’s something else you need to know. He’s very malnourished and...”_

“I know that already. The paramedics mentioned it.”

_“Let me finish! He was also abused. He has old and new bruises all over his body so this has been going on for quite some time. I just want you to know that getting him to open up might take time. Abused children don’t trust easily. Often, the abuser makes sure to train the child not to answer some questions.”_

“Alright. Keep me posted, Dr. Bloom.”

“I’ll talk to you soon. Bye.”

Jack closed his phone and sighed as he sat back in his chair. He really hated cases that involved children. Not only were they terrible witnesses, they were also harder to interrogate. Well, he had a toy to find and a hundred other things to do before he could go home to his wife, he had better get started.

000000000000

Will stared at the pretty lady with his mouth firmly shut. She was back. The first time he knew what she was before she even opened her mouth. A psychiatrist.  His pa had warned him not to answer any questions that strangers asked, especially shrinks. His father had told him that they would try to separate them and put him in jail. Even though he was gone now didn’t mean that the rules did not still apply.

She seemed nice but he knew that she was fishing for information. Nice people were always after something. The more they gave, the more they wanted. She sat down on the chair next to his bed and was careful not to jostle the IV drip or the wires monitoring his heartbeat. From what the doctors had said when he was pretending to sleep, his heart was beating too slow and had asked the nurse to keep note of it. He felt like ripping off the wires again but that would bring that blasted nurse into the room. He looked down at his hospital robes determined not to spare her another glance.

“William.” She said with a gentle smile on her face startling him out of his thoughts. His head jerked up in shock, how did she know his name? The surprise was short-lived as his mind quickly supplied the answer. The agents at the scene, more specifically the dark skinned one. He felt the urge to correct her and tell her his name was Will but he turned his gaze back down remaining silent.

“Or is it Will?” She continued. His hands tightened around the bed sheets but he did not look up. “I know that what you went through was painful but you will feel better if you talk to me.”

She knew nothing. Annoyance filled him at the implication that she knew anything about. No one could ever possibly understand what it was like being him. Being a freak. He pressed his lips together. Her tone of voice was so gentle and caring that it reminded him of his mother’s but it was a just a cheap imitation. There was not true caring or love in it. All she wanted was to get him to open up so that she could go tell the cop what he knew.

She said nothing more for a few minute before placing her cold hand on top of his. He flinched away from the foreign sensation jerking his hand so hard that the IV needle ripped from his thin arm. He grabbed his arm in pain and gritted his teeth to keep from crying out. Within moments the nurses came in. One pulled his hand away and took care of the wound with quick efficiency while the other ushered Dr. Bloom out of his room. He was relieved to see her go. Although he was uncomfortable with the nurses touching him, at least he saw it coming and was able to keep still long enough for them to do their jobs. Will knew that they would sedate him again if he struggled like last time. He did not like the feeling so he would avoid it if he could help it.

000000000000

Alana waited in the hall watching through the small window as the nurses took care of the little boy. She had not known that her patient would react so violently to a gentle gesture that was meant for comfort. The only reaction she had gotten out of him was when she called him by his name. There was short moment when their eyes met for the first time and she saw a hint of understanding that was very puzzling. It was almost as though he had looked right through her and saw something that he didn’t like. She couldn’t understand it. He was not by any means the first child that she treated but it was the first time that one had taken an instant dislike for her.

When the nurses finally left the room, one of them stopped in front of her.

“I don’t think he should see any more visitors today. It would be best for you to return tomorrow. He needs to rest.”

“Alright.” Alana answered feeling resigned. It was the first time in her career that she felt at a loss of what to do. She was slightly relieved to have this time to think.

She was about to leave the hospital when a familiar figure stopped her short at the main entrance.

“Dr. Lecter.” She called out as she approached him. Alana had not seen him in a while. He had been her teacher at one point, the best she had ever had.

“Miss Bloom or should I say Dr. Bloom.” His accented voice answered as a smile made its way to his face. “It’s been too long since the last time I saw you.”

“Are you ill, doctor?” She asked a little worried. He did not look sick but she knew from experience that it was not always something that can be discerned from simply looking at a person.

“I have a perfect bill of health or so my doctor says. It is important to have a full check-up every year.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“I am eager to continue this conversation however I have an appointment with a patient. Would you be interested to share a meal so that I can hear more about one of my best students?”

“That would be wonderful.” Alana replied eagerly. She had missed their debates and conversations. “Actually I am hoping that I could consult you on a particular case that was recently assigned to me.”

“How does 8 o’clock sound? I hope you still remember where my house is located.”

“Of course I remember. Eight is perfect.” She said nodding her head slightly. “See you soon then, Dr. Lecter.”

“I look forward to it.” He said with a smile before he walked out. Alana watched him leave with a sense of relief. With Dr. Lecter’s help, she was sure that things would turn out well.

000000000000

Hannibal smirked as he walked out the hospital doors. Everything had gone according to plan. He had known that Alana Bloom was currently working for the FBI. After her graduation, he had kept tabs on her like many of his promising former students. Since she worked under Jack Crawford the agent in charge of the Chesapeake Ripper cases, he had no doubt in his mind that Agent Crawford would make her Will’s psychiatrist. It was all a matter of meeting Dr. Bloom at the right moment.

Now, he would soon officially meet his Will through Alana without the FBI knowing any better that is if all went well tonight. He had every intention of putting all of his effort into the meal. People were always more forthcoming after being plied with good food. The meat was already tenderized and marinated. The vegetables peeled and cut. The desert was in the fridge being cooled. Every course would complement the other. It would be perfect.

The drive to his office was short. He found his patient in the waiting room. As usual, he was early. Gregory March, an obsessive compulsive, always arrived three hours early for his appointments. He stood from his chair as soon as he saw Hannibal.

“Doctor.” He greeted taking a wrinkled piece of tissue out of his breast pocket and dabbed his sweaty forehead. The man smelled as though he had been swimming in sweat; it permeated off him in a most unpleasant manner. “I came two hours early this time.”

“I see that our sessions are showing at least some progress, Mr. March” He said hiding the contempt he felt for this weak man. He watched his patient stuff the tissue back into his pocket with veiled disgust. Why were his patients so disgusting? He wondered as he went into his office. There was an exception of course. The germaphobe. However, he was not without fault. The scent of chemicals that clung to him always made his nose burn.

Mr March puffed up at the praise and sat down one more. He watched him pick up one of the many magazines that were on the table. Given how much time this idiot spent in his waiting room, he had no doubt that he had read through all of them. He entered his room quickly shutting the door behind him to keep the stench of sweat from entering his office. He did not want to deal with the scent a minute longer than necessary.

Sitting at his desk, he started to write in his logbook. He had used most of the time usually ascribed for this task to go to the doctor. It was only a slight hitch in his schedule but Will took precedence at the moment. His memory was so sharp that a few hours would not hurt. Even a few days if that were necessary. Given his intention to take the child in, sacrifices will have to be made and it would never be said that he would do anything half-way.

000000000000

Alana stood at the door holding a bottle of red wine waiting for her old professor to respond to the doorbell. She hoped that he liked the wine. It had been drilled into her head that when invited to dinner at someone’s house it was polite to bring something along. She had thought at first to bring desert but remembered that the doctor usually prepares his own.

She was quickly ushered in after exchanging greetings and being relieved of the bottle. He seemed pleased with it and to her relief told her that it would go well with the main dish. Each course was more delicious than the next and by the time they were tucking their desert in, she was completely relaxed. Throughout the meal, she told him about her career after getting her doctorate, the patients she had had.

“You mentioned needing help with a case.” Hannibal said after she ate her first spoonful of the chocolate mousse cake. “Am I to assume that this patient is currently in the hospital?”

“How did you guess?” She asked with great surprise. “I don’t remember mentioning that.”

“You did not. You seemed unusually distressed when we met so it was safe to assume that your state was due to something that happened with a patient.” He replied in between bites.

“You’re right. I forgot how good you were at reading between the lines. You haven’t lost your touch, Doctor.” Alana smiled in amusement before sobering. “Jack called me about a patient, a little boy. Actually he called him a potential witness. The doctor warned me that he was abused but allowed me to talk to him. He did not answer any question that was asked. At first, I thought he suffered from elective mutism from the trauma of seeing his father’s dead body but now I am not so sure.”

“That is a fair assumption what caused your doubt?” The doctor asked leaning forward interest evident in his eyes.

She recounted what had happened during her second meeting with the boy leaving no detail out. When she was done, Dr. Lecter leaned back with his arms crossed over his chest.

“I just don’t understand why he reacted so strongly to a simple touch to the hand.” She continued hoping that he would have an explanation.

“When he was first admitted to the hospital, did he submit to their care without much struggle?”

“No actually from what the doctor said the nurses had to sedate in order to attach the IV drip. He wouldn’t let any…” Her eyes widened in realisation. She felt like hitting herself. “Do you think he is afraid of being touched because of his abuse?”

“That is possible however there may be something more to it. I could give a better diagnosis if I were to meet the child.”

“Would you be willing to come to the hospital with me tomorrow if you have time?” Alana asked eagerly. She was still unsure how to approach Will Graham after what had happened. She was sure that a new face may be just what her patient needed to open up.

000000000000

The light streamed through the window as Will opened his eyes to the sound of nurses bustling about his room. He missed the truck even though it was not as comfortable as this bed, at least his pa had been there with him. He was uncomfortable being surrounded by so many unknown elements. The scent of the hospital reminded him too much of the night his mother died. He hated this place that much more.

“You’re awake.” Nurse Carrow said as she placed a tray in front of him. It was a bowl of soup and a glass of glass of water. “Eat as much as you can and don’t eat too fast. It’ll only make you sick. Don’t forget to take your vitamin supplements.”

Will glared after her. Every time the woman gave him his food she said the same thing. He hated the way she treated him as though he was simpleton. He understood the first time there was no need for her to perpetually repeat herself. A desire to mouth off at her built itself up in his chest but the vow he had made to himself kept him from uttering the words that were at the tip of his tongue.

Sighing in exasperation, he picked up the spoon and slowly at his meal until he felt too full for more.  He swallowed the tablets in the small cup with some water. He sat back wishing he had something to do but he was used to it. His father used to leave him in the car for hours but at least he had had Winston to keep him company. He turned his head towards the window and watched as the clouds moved slowly in the sky. He imagined what life would be like if his ma had never died.

He was drawn out of his daydream by the sound of the door opening. He didn’t turn his head to the noise. It was probably a nurse.

“Will. I’m back and I brought some friends.” He recognized the voice. It was the shrink. Begrudgingly he turned his head in her direction. No matter how much he disliked her, his curiosity was too great. His gaze zeroed in on a very familiar shape in her hand. It was Winston. How did she get him? He wondered as he quickly snatched his friend when she was close enough. To his surprise, Winston’s fur was soft and clean. He looked almost like he did when his ma had been alive. Tears welled in his eyes but he refused to cry in front of the lady and her friend.

Hugging Winston close, he turned his gaze to the man at the shrink’s side. He was wearing a suit but it was much nicer than the one that his father used to wear for work. It looked shinier and softer. Another shrink. He groaned internally.

“This Dr. Lecter. He wants to talk to you.” The lady said smiling.

“Hello, Will.” The doctor said with a strange accent. “I hope you’re feeling better today.”

“I need to go see your doctor. Will it be alright if he stays with you for a little while?” She asked as if she even cared what he thought. Which she did not. He could tell that she had already decided to leave the man with her before even asking the question. He gave her no response. After what felt like forever, she sighed and left. He watched as she closed the door leaving him alone with this Dr. Lecter. Will turned his gaze to the man who now sat at his side. He made eye contact briefly but quickly turned his gaze to the blue and grey tie.

There was something about him that made Will feel both wary and somewhat… comfortable.  He could not seem to gage much from him but he knew for sure that if Will had seen him on the street, there was no way he would have been a target. He may have the money from his demeanour and clothing however there was something about the man that screamed danger. Will tightened his hold on Winston and waited for the man to say something.

“Did you ever feel neglected?” The doctor said smoothly. His eyes shot up to the other mans in surprise. He had not expected him to say that. Everyone else was so careful. They all seemed to treat him like a fragile tea cup that would shatter at the slightest touch.

“Did you ever feel angry when your father wasted your hard earned money on alcohol?” Dr. Lecter continued without missing a beat. His expression did not change. For once, Will could not see what was going on behind someone eyes. “When he barely fed you as your stomach cramped painfully from hunger?”

Will glared at him meeting that infuriating gaze head on. What was his point? He wondered but he kept quiet. The doctor paused for a moment his intense gaze never leaving his own.

“Did you ever feel _unloved_?” The man emphasized.

“No!” Will said before he could stop himself. How dare he doubt that his pa loved him!? He didn’t know anything about it. He had never felt so angry in his life. “Pa loved me!”

“I am sure that he did but did he love you enough? Enough to stop drinking? Enough to pull himself together for your sake? Enough to stop hurting you for no reason but reminding him of his own failings?”

“Shut up!” Will yelled. “SHUT UP! SHUT UP!”

With a war cry, he threw himself at the man in rage. But before he could hit the doctor, strong hands had turned him so that his back was against a large chest. He was so effectively restrained that he could not move. The hold on his wrists was solid but not painful. As he calmed down, pain flooded through his arm. He realized that he had torn his IV needle off again.

“Let go!” Will demanded as he pulled futilely at the hold.

“Only if you promise not to try to attack me, Will.” Dr. Lecter replied softly. “I am not your enemy, little one.”

“Of course you are! You’re with the lady, aren’t you? You only want to talk to me so that you can go tell the black man what you know!” He raged still struggling despite the pain in his arm.

“You have my word that anything you tell me will only be between the two of us.”

He felt the hold on his wrists slacken. Will pulled away quickly putting his hands on his torn flesh. He searched the man’s eyes for any signs of falsehood. Somehow he wanted to believe him. The spell was broken when door burst open. His doctor, the nurses and Dr. Bloom bustled in. Will watched as the psychiatrists were steered out of his room. For some reason, he felt reluctant to see him go. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so happy to get so many positive reviews. Thank you!  
> Hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as you have the others :)

**Chapter 3**

As soon as the door was closed on them, Alana turned to Hannibal. He looked slightly dishevelled. His usually neat hair was no longer perfectly in place and his tie was knocked askew.

“What happened in there?” She asked completely bewildered as she watched adjust his tie. “We could hear him scream from down the hall! How did you get him to talk?”

“It was only a matter of applying pressure in right place in order to get an emotional response.” He replied simply. “In this case, it was anger.”

“Dr. Lecter, what did you say to that boy?” Alana asked narrowing her eyes with suspicion.

“I simply asked a few questions to gain a desired effect.”

“And may I ask what those questions were?”

“I’m afraid that I cannot answer that question. I have promised Will that anything discussed will stay between us.” The doctor’s face was unreadable as spoke. Alana wondered what he was thinking.

“Doctor, might I remind you that this is my patient. Agent Crawford…”

“Forgive me for interrupting but that there is one of the reasons why the child refused to talk to you.”

“What on earth are you talking about?” Alana stared at him in bewilderment.

“From what I could gather from speaking to him briefly, Will Graham is very intelligent and perceptive. He knows you work for Agent Crawford. I believe he referred to him as the ‘black man’. His father died recently it is possible that he may be distrustful of the people who kept him from him.”

“That’s impossible, Dr. Lecter. Besides he could be talking about any number of African American. How could he possibly know that Agent Crawford is my boss?”

“Perhaps he overheard a conversation but it is most likely that he simply deduced it.”

“You can’t possibly be serious! He’s five years old there is no way he could have reasoned such a thing with so little information no matter how smart he may be!” Alana exclaimed.

“That would be a sound conclusion if the assumption that he is in fact five, is in fact correct.” Hannibal reasoned without missing a beat. “His prolonged malnourishment has most likely stunted his growth. His is definitely older than he seems.”

“You can’t know that for sure!” She argued suddenly feeling a little unsure of herself. “The only way we could be sure is by asking is if we ask the child or…”

Alana suddenly remembered the file she had received from the doctor during their talk. She hadn’t had the chance to look at it due to the commotion that Will had caused. She had stuffed it into her bag while following the medical staff to the room. The paediatrician had told her that it was the child’s medical history that had been sent over from Louisiana.

Taking it out, she opened it finding a birth certificate at the top of the records. She looked at the birthdate and then back at Dr. Lecter.

“You’re right. According to this, Will Graham is seven years old.” Alana said while handing the document over to her colleague. Everything made sense now. She had been talking to her patient under the assumption that he was younger. She inwardly groaned at the rookie mistake. Any psychiatrist knew that the worst thing to do when dealing with children is treating them like they were younger. It was the quickest way to alienate them.

“It explains a few things but why would he have such a dislike for Agent Crawford?” She continued after the doctor returned the file. “He’s trying to find his father’s killer. If Will is clever enough to figure all this out, why isn’t he cooperating?”

“You forget that we are dealing with a child. No matter how smart, you cannot expect him to act in a logical manner.” Before she could answer, the door opened to reveal Dr. Wallace. He gave Dr. Lecter a look of reproach and turned his hard gaze to her own.

“I would ask you not to distress my patient. This is the second time this has happened. I will not allow a third such occurrence or I will demand another to take your place as his psychiatrist. No matter what the FBI says. Even though Dr. Lecter succeeded in getting him to talk, he needs rest and recovery.”

“I apologize for the pain I cause him. It was not my intention.” She heard Dr. Lecter answer.

“Let’s continue this discussion in my office. There is a matter we need to settle, Dr. Bloom.” Dr. Wallace said while gesturing for them to follow him.

Alana sighed softly as she walked to the office. She glanced at her colleague discreetly. His face was as expressionless as usual. She could not help but wonder what he had said to her patient to provoke such an extreme reaction. As curious as she was, it would be futile to ask again. Dr. Lecter was very firm and consistent in his behaviour. He had told her directly that he would not discuss it with her and that was how it would be.

She walked into the office for the second time that day but this time with Dr. Lecter. She noticed that the older man did not sit down until Dr. Wallace sat down behind his desk. He was always so infallibly polite. Alana turned her attention to the paediatrician as he picked up the phone.

“Would you send in Mrs. Oak?” He said before putting it down.

“Mrs. Oak?” She parroted in puzzlement.

“She is Will Graham’s social worker.”

Oh damn! She forgot about that. Alana hoped that this woman would not be too difficult. Soon enough a woman in her mid-forties entered the room. Her hair was greying, tied in a bun over her head and was dressed primly. She seemed like a stern person which would not go in her favour.

“You must be Dr. Bloom.” She said as she extended her hand to Dr. Lecter who simply stared at her.

“I’m Dr. Alana Bloom.” Alana piped up to avoid further awkwardness.

“Oh forgive me for the mistake. I thought you were a student of some sort. You’re so young after all.”

“That’s quite alright. I’m sure that it’s an honest mistake. This is Dr. Lecter a colleague of mine.” Alana could not help but feel snubbed. She was used to this kind of treatment so she took it in stride but it still stung a little.

“Now that you’ve all been introduced, let’s discuss the matter of where Will Graham will be staying.”

“Isn’t he staying going to stay at the hospital until he recovers?” Alana asked.

“He has sufficiently recovered to leave the hospital. He is in no immediate danger. All he needs is proper rest and nutrition. There is no need to keep him here.” Dr. Wallace replied.

“We have a home ready for him already. His foster parents will be informed of his needs. If we can have his belongings, he could move there by tomorrow morning.” The social worker intoned as she smoothed her skirt.

“His belongings are in evidence. They will be returned when the FBI deems it.” Alana replied evenly despite her annoyance. “On the matter, Will Graham _cannot_ stay in a foster home.”

“And why not? The Felton family is fully capable of caring for an abused child.” Mrs. Oak argued.

“He’s not just any ordinary abused child. He’s very intelligent and at the moment, he believes that the entire world is his enemy. I guaranty that he will be very difficult.” She explained in earnest.

“They’ve dealt with difficult children before like any other foster parent.”

“I would have to agree with Dr. Bloom.” Dr. Lecter interjected. “Moreover, Will Graham is a potential witness to a crime. He cannot be placed just anywhere as he could in danger. Since his status as a witness is public knowledge, he will not be safe at a foster home.”

Alana smiled at him in gratitude as she nodded in agreement. She noticed the way that Mrs. Oak was looking at Dr. Lecter. She did not know who she pitied more. Mrs. Oak for her infatuation with one of the coldest men she had ever known or her colleague who had yet another person vying for his attentions.

“You’re right.” She agreed with a smile. “But where would he stay then? The Felton’s are the only family who can take him in at the moment.”

Alana froze for a moment. Who could he stay with? She wondered. The hospital obviously could not spare the rooms. Jack would not like his witness to be anywhere but under his thumb.

“He can stay with me.” Dr. Lecter suddenly said.

Alana’s head turned to him so quickly that her neck hurt from the sudden movement. She was about to protest but after some reflection she realized that it would be perfect. Will could not stay with her because she was his psychiatrist but Dr. Lecter had no such obligations. Not only that, he had formed some sort of rapport with the boy. His house was large enough to accommodate him. Glancing at the social worker, she could see from her expression that the woman would not be a problem. Her admiration for the doctor seemed to have increased tenfold.

“You are a very kind man for volunteering for such an arduous task.” She practically gushed. “I will of course have to see if your house is fit for a child to live in. Custody of William will have to be approved by a judge.”

“That won’t be necessary. The FBI will take care of the matter.” Alana interrupted before she could go into further detail. She would have to call to Agent Crawford as soon as possible.

000000000000

Jack scrutinized Dr. Lecter. Even in picture, this man was seemed quite imposing. But with a name like Hannibal Lecter, he would have to be. After Alana had called him about handing custody over to this man, he had pulled everything he could on him. Jack was very impressed by what he had read. A doctorate in medicine and psychiatry, brilliant in both fields. He had been doubtful when Alana had told him where his witness would be staying but with all he knew now, he had to agree with her decision. He would, of course, have to meet the man who was able to get through a traumatized kid when one of his most brilliant agents could not.

He broke out of his musing when his wife came into the living room. A sense of unease wormed its way into his heart as he looked up from the papers. For some time, things between them had been strained. He had no idea how to mend it and he tried to act as normal as possible since there was nothing he could possibly do to make it right.

“Bella. I didn’t hear you come back.” Jack said closing the file and putting it on the coffee table.

“You’re early.” She replied simply.

“I brought my files with me to work on at home.” He answered. He hesitated for a moment before continuing carefully. “It occurred to me that we hadn’t spent much time together lately.”

He followed her to the kitchen and waited for her response. When he received none, irritation flared.

“Will you talk to me? How am I supposed fix this if you won’t at least do that?”

“Now, you want to talk.” She said softly as she turned to face him her eyes hard. “But there is nothing left to say.”

“Bella…” He started not sure what to say. “I know that I wasn’t there when… but I will try to make up for it however I can.”

“That is not something you can just make go away with gifts and promises. You weren’t there when I needed you most just like you always were and always will be.”

“I had a case… If I had known, I would-”

“Don’t! Don’t you dare finish that sentence! What could that possibly change!? It over and done with! She’s gone!” She yelled tears streaming down her face.

“Bella!” He called after her as she left the kitchen. “Bella, wait!”

He noticed that she had grabbed her purse and was heading for the closet. He quickly intercepted her not letting her pass as she tried to circumvent him.

“We have to talk about this.” He says softly as he took hold of her arms. “You have to let me talk to you. You can’t keep running away.”

“Fine.” Bella said her arms crossed over chest. “Talk.”

“I can’t make any excuses for not being there when you needed me… but you can’t say that I haven’t been trying to make up for it by coming home as early as humanly possible.” He started weakly. He was horrible at these types of talks. He could tell that it was not getting through to her. “It was just as hard on me losing her and… I don’t want to lose you as well.”

He looked away as he uttered the last sentence. He cringed at his clumsiness. The feel of a gentle hand turning his face startled him.

“It’s not all your fault… I know that I’ve been unfair these past few months. I guess I just needed someone to blame. I am just as much responsible for the miscarriage.”

“Bella…” He started but was silenced by the touch of a slender finger to his lips.

“I had cramps the whole day but they didn’t hurt too much so I overlooked them… and…”

He pulled her close as she broke down and for the first time since the event she did not push him away.  Burying his face in her hair, he felt as though a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

000000000000

The next morning, Hannibal came early to the hospital in hopes of seeing his Will. He had spent a great deal of time the previous day getting a room ready for the child, after the social worker left that is. The woman had unfortunately been reluctant to leave, taking her time and insisting on going over useless details. By the time she had left, he had felt like killing her but it would not do to kill his son’s social worker no matter how bothersome she was. His son… He smiled softly at the thought. He would have wait before he could make it official but he would eventually adopt Will when the FBI was no longer breathing down their necks. 

The nurse reluctantly let him after he confirmed that he was the boy’s guardian. The sight that greeted him was the face of a sleeping angel.  Closing the door softly behind him, he moved silently across the room and settled into the uncomfortable plastic chair. He had never seen the boy so relaxed. His breathing was deep confirming that he was still asleep. He was loath to wake him up but it was unfortunately necessary. Gently he ran his hand across the boy’s small forehead brushing the long fringe from his face.

“Ma…” Will mumbled as he pressed into his touch.

“Wake up, little one.” Hannibal said as he chucked softly. He stroked the soft clean hair. He made a note to take his Will to a hairdresser. His hair was far too long and the cut was so uneven. If his suspicions were correct, the child probably cut his own hair with a old pair of scissors as the ends were rough.

“Mmm…” Will’s eyes opened slowly rewarding with a sight of sleep clouded blues. He blinked a few times before freezing. “You’re back.”

Hannibal let his hand fall away knowing that his touch was making his boy uncomfortable. It would take time but hopefully someday, he would be able to do so freely. He was a very patient man.

“Where’s the lady?” Will asked searching the room suspiciously.

“Dr. Bloom did not come with me this time. She will, however be here in at least…” Looking at his watch, he continued. “10 minutes.”

“Oh…” Will said while sighing in relief. “What do you want then?”

“It is not a matter of what I want but of what I can give you.” Hannibal replied simply.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Will asked clearly annoyed.

“I wish to offer you a place in my home.”

“A place in…” the child parroted incredulously. “Why the hell would want to do that!?”

“Why not? Do you believe that you do not deserve a home?” Hannibal queried.

“Stop doing that!” Yelled Will his face scrunched in anger. “Stop trying to get in my head! I’m not stupid I know what you’re trying to do!” 

“You are far from stupid, little one.” Hannibal replied smoothly. “I only ask because it is worrisome when children believe that they aren’t worthy of love.”

“Right… Are you saying that you want to take me in so that you can _love_ and _take care_ of _me_? Not likely.” Will scoffed the look he gave him screamed ‘liar’.

“That is precisely what I am saying. Under my care you will want for nothing and no harm will ever come to you again. That is a promise.” Hannibal looked the child straight in the eyes as they met his own. The disbelief in them made him wish he could bring back the boy’s father just to have the pleasure of torturing him all over again.

“You can’t promise that! Pa used to promise that he would stop, that he was sorry for hurting me but in the end it might as well have been a lie! Why would you be any different?”

“The difference is that I am not weak.” Hannibal said simply. There was something about the way Will looked at him. An assessing look that was strange on the face of a child. He had seen such a look on many adults but never children. Hannibal took note of it as his instincts told him that there was more to this child than simple intelligence.

“If you hadn’t volunteered your home, I would have gone to some foster parents, right?” Will suddenly asked.

“I doubt it. Another arrangement would have been made per Agent Crawford’s design. I believe you refer to him as the ‘black man’.” The doctor replied observing Will’s reaction to the news. The scowl that appeared on his little face was almost instantaneous. Amusement bubbled in his chest at the irony of Will’s hatred of the man. Still it all went in his favour. If not for his intense dislike of anything to do with the agent, the event leading to gaining custody of the child would not have so simple. Furthermore, Will was not likely to protest his guardianship under these circumstances.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN: For those who are wondering, I added that scene between Jack Crawford and his wife on a whim. Not sure how it would be received but when I was watching the show, I wondered about why they did not have any children and those thoughts led to this...  
> There could be thousands of reasons for a couple not to have kids but I decided on this one. It seemed to fit the best and once I started writing I couldn't really stop.

**Author's Note:**

> About the timeline. This story takes place when Hannibal was still the Chesapeake Ripper basically before the Ripper’s hiatus. Everyone else is the age they would have been during that time period except for Will who is seven.


End file.
